Tomb of Dracula Vol 1 45
| cover date = June, 1976 | cover price = | publisher = Marvel Comics | editor-in-chief = Archie Goodwin | writers = Marv Wolfman | pencilers = Gene Colan | inkers = Tom Palmer | cover artists = Gene Colan; Tom Palmer | colorists = Tom Palmer | letterers = John Costanza | editors = Marv Wolfman | previous = ''Tomb of Dracula'' #44 | next = ''Tomb of Dracula'' #46 }} "Crossfire!" is the forty-fifth issue of the original Tomb of Dracula comic book series. The issue was written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer with lettering by John Costanza. It was released with a June, 1976 cover date. In this issue, Blade battles with Hannibal King for the first time. Dracula embarks upon another scheme to create a loyal army of human followers and starts with infiltrating a Satanic cult led by a man named Anton Lupeski. Plot Blade is investigating the Boston apartment of vampire Deacon Frost when a mysterious figure bursts through the door. It is private investigator Hannibal King. Immediately recognizing him as a vampire, Blade snaps into action and slings a wooden knife at him. Hannibal's enhanced reflexes enable him to easily catch the weapon and he turns the table on Blade and pounces upon him. After forcing Blade to calm down, he convinces him that they are both in search of the same vampires. Hannibal wants revenge against Deacon Frost for first turning him into a vampire. He points out that there is an unconscious newly made vampire lying upon the floor. They wait for him to awaken so they can interrogate him. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange and Wong, believing that they have destroyed the vampire lord Dracula, take their leave. The seemingly skeletal remains of Dracula reconstitute itself and he sneers over his success into tricking the Master of the Mystic arts into believing he was deceased. He transforms into a bat and flies towards an old church in Boston Common. Though most of the religious artifacts had long since been removed from the building, Dracula still recoils at an oil painting of Jesus Christ. Dracula realizes that his past schemes to turn all of humanity into a legion of vampires were in error. Instead, he wishes to cultivate a legion of human followers, those who would obey his commands, but could never muster enough power to rise against him. Dracula goes to the home of struggling novelist Harold H. Harold. He has Harold use his resources concerning the occult to come up with the names of the leading Satanic figures in Boston. Harold provides him with the name of a man named Anton Lupeski. Dracula leaves with the information and flies towards the building where Anton is known to maintain his cult. En route, he accosts an elderly woman with the intent of feeding off of her. The woman recognizes Dracula, having encountered him once before in 1903. Something about the woman's stalwart demeanor bothers Dracula and he leaves her be. Meanwhile, Frank Drake and Rachel Van Helsing spend some time with Quincy Harker at his mansion home. Though old and infirm, Quincy remains steadfast in his commitment towards destroying Dracula - a quality that Frank admires a great deal. Frank and Rachel leave and take a moment to embrace one another. Elsewhere, Anton Lupeski is in the midst of a Satanic ritual. He intends on summoning Satan himself and offers forth one of his own cultists, Domini, as a bride. Domini is willing to sacrifice herself in Satan's name and Lupeski has her bound upside down to an inverted cross. He ignites the Fires of Conjuration and calls forth to Satan. Dracula enters the building and, seeing what is transpiring, decides to intervene. He appears before Anton and the other cultists who believe that he is Satan. Anton presents Domini to him, and though Dracula has no need for a bride, he decides to reconsider the matter. Back at Deacon Frost's place, the unconscious vampire comes to. Hannibal begins to question him as to his master's whereabouts and Blade provides added incentive by stomping on the vampire's body with his boot. The man reveals that up until recently, he had been a human servant of Deacon Frost who had promised him a hefty sum of money in exchange for his services. Frost had him dig up a coffin that had been buried and take it to a secure location. The man reveals that the body in the coffin was an exact duplicate of Blade. Appearances Featured Characters: * Blade * Hannibal King Supporting Characters: * Frank Drake * Harold H. Harold * Quincy Harker * Rachel Van Helsing Villains: * Dracula * Anton Lupeski * Deacon Frost * Unnamed vampire Other Characters: * Doctor Strange * Domini * Saint * Wong * Jesus Christ (in a painting) * Unnamed elderly woman * Roxanne the cat Creatures: * Vampires Locations: * Massachusetts :* Boston :* Boston Common :* Cambridge Items: * Cloak of Levitation * Quincy Harker's wheelchair * Wooden blade Vehicles: * Wagon Notes & Trivia * This issue is reprinted in Essential Tomb of Dracula, Volume 3, Tomb of Dracula Omnibus, Volume 2, Essential Doctor Strange, Volume 3 and Wedding of Dracula #1. * First meeting between Blade and Hannibal King. They, along with Frank Drake, will eventually become teammates in the paranormal investigative superhero team known as the Nightstalkers. * Third appearance of Hannibal King. He appeared last in ''Tomb of Dracula'' #44. He appears next in ''Tomb of Dracula'' #46. * Blade appeared last in ''Tomb of Dracula'' #44. He appears next in ''Tomb of Dracula'' #46. * Dracula's confrontation with Doctor Strange took place in ''Doctor Strange'' #14. * The church that Dracula takes sanctuary in was last seen in ''Doctor Strange'' #14. * Hannibal King is depicted with black hair on the cover to this issue even though his hair is actually brown. * The elderly woman that Dracula fails to attack was previously seen in ''Dracula Lives!'' #9. The story in which the two first met took place in the year 1903. See also External Links * Tomb of Dracula #45 at MDP * Tomb of Dracula #45 at Comics.org * Tomb of Dracula #45 at Comic Vine * Tomb of Dracula #45 at Comicbookdb.com ---- Category:1976 comic book issues Category:June, 1976 comic book issues Category:Tomb of Dracula Vol 1 Category:Chronologized Category:Issues with plot summaries